Over Christmas break, twelve Mount students traveled to El Salvador for an immersion experience abroad with CRISPAZ, an organization also known as the ‘Christians for Peace in El Salvador’. The trip occurred from January 3rd through the 9th, eliciting changes in each student’s mindset by the end.

Initially, considering the inherent assumptions about the dangers of El Salvador circulating in the media, students were skeptical about the situation they would encounter upon arrival.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was worried about the places we were going to be staying.” Madeline McLean ‘27 said.

“I was unsure how the language barrier would affect our activities each day but Michelle Recinos, the CRISPAZ delegation leader, helped to translate so we could connect with the community members we met.” Olivia Mele ‘27 said.

Contrary to their initial thoughts, they found the country to be one of the safest countries in the world with thriving communities and culture.

El Papaturro

For two days of their trip, the group traveled to the rural municipality of Suchitoto to stay with families in a community. The community, known as El Papaturro, had its origins in 1990 following the El Salvadoran civil war.

The original inhabitants were a group of 25 farmers who came from Honduras to find a place to settle and grow crops. President of the community, Belki Martinez,  explained how the name El Papaturro refers to a fruit, noting how the community was founded under three fruit trees that they centered their lives around.

In its thriving early years, the community was home to 150 families who migrated to seek refuge. That number later fell to 120 with people’s decision to seek migration elsewhere.

In 2016 alone, 30 families of El Papaturro left to attempt the journey to the U.S. for better opportunities. Among the many observations during the experience, the Mount students saw that connection was pivotal to the remaining families—especially those who lost loved ones to the migration process.

Every family was connected to each other and accounted for in El Papaturro. While overcoming the language barrier proved a stiff challenge for the Mount group, they discovered that there were so many ways to connect beyond words.

They experienced camaraderie with the children over games of soccer. They shared laughs over connections like favorite “Stranger Things” characters. They sympathized with the community members over their lost members that journeyed to the U.S. or left to pursue other opportunities.

Community Organization

Despite their struggles in an underdeveloped country, Belki explained how the organization continues to sustain the El Papaturro community. Through their many community groups, the families are able to support each other and protect the future of the community.

The agricultural group assists with producing a variety of crops—plaintains, papayas, limes, peppers, avocados, etc— along with medically purposed plants such as ginger and turmeric (for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-nausea purposes), and bitter melons (for treating diabetes).

The theater group creates plays that help the community commemorate their history. The community board keeps the community grounded and allows for members to take on leadership roles.

Overall, students found that the El Papaturro people truly value their El Salvadoran culture.

One community member, Xochilt, who is 17 years old, described what she likes most about El Salvador stating: “lo que mas me gusta de El Salvador son los lugares bonitos que hay para poder ir a conocer y los diferentes platillos que hay para poder probar.” (Translation: What I like most about El Salvador are the beautiful places to visit and the different dishes to try.)

Xochilt’s favorite things to do in her free time include going outside to breathe fresh air, watching TV series, and playing volleyball and soccer.

After reflecting on the experience, the Mount students understood the importance of exposing themselves to multiple perspectives.

“It was a wonderful experience to be a part of…I saw students getting out of their comfort zone. They faced their discomfort and navigated those challenges really well. I saw students shifting their mindset as they encountered people that were different from them…and listening deeply to their stories.” Campus Minister, Mr. Charlie Bates said.

The El Papaturro community may lack material wealth but is blessed in many other ways with unbreakable familial connections with each other. The community should not be pitied but acknowledged and understood for their equal humanity just 3374 miles away.